Self-waiting table



UNITED STATES PATENT' @triom- ABDELAH `VATSON, OF FALNIOUTH, KENTUCKY.

SELF-WAITING TABLE.

Specificationforming part of Letters Patent No.- 15,675, dated September 2, 1856.

To all whom it may concern:

4Be it known that I, ABDELAH WATsoN, of Falmouth, in the county of Pendleton and State of Kentucky, have invented anew and Improved Self-Waiting Table and I do hereby declare that the following is a fulland exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, makinga part of this specification- Figure l being a side elevation of the table; Flg. 2, a top view thereof; Figs. 25 and 4, respectively, a bottom and-end view of one of the moving self-supplying waiters.

The apparatus which I employ may be ap- Y plied to any ordinary table A, and it may be so arranged as to be removable or detachable therefromat pleasure. A pair of" postsor standards B B, of the proper height, is firmly secured upon each end of the table at a suitable distance apart, for the purposel desired. Over these are stretched two parallel wires C C from one end of the table to .the other, as shown in the drawings. In order to straighten these wires, if they should become slack, one end of each may be attached to an arm L under one end of thetable and jointed or hinged thereto. Then by passing another curved arm I, suitably hinged to the table, through the first-named arm and screwing a nut on its projecting end the wires can be tightened in a few moments. Any equivalent means to effect the same purpose may be employed.

.Below the wires C C and centrally between them is passed horizontally an endless cord or band E, being stretched around pulleys a ce a and a driving-wheel G, substantially as represented. The driving-wheel is turned by means of a crank or winch I-I. At short intervals in this cord or band (which should be as tight and as inelastic as practicable) are formed or attached knots, pins, or enlargements b b, &c., the use of which will be presently described.

In connection wit-h the above arrangement of the table waiters or salvers D D, of peculiar construction, are employed. Each consists of a plate, liat or of any ordinary form. Four projections h h h h are secured to the under side of the plate in such positions that they will just stride the two wires C C and hold the plate thereon, but allow the plate to be lifted oft without hinderance. These projections also serve as legs, on which the waiter rests when taken from the wires to receive dishes, plates, ttc. 'lothe underside of each waiter, near the center, is secured a projecting piece c, ot any convenient construction, and in this grooves are formed, in which a cross-plate CZ is fitted to slide up and down, but to remain in any position in which itmay be left. In the center of the lower edge of this cross-plate is cut a notch g, as seen in Figs. 3 and et, being so constructed that the cord E may slide freely therein, but so that the knots b b cannot pass through it. A handle f projects from the plate c .to enable the guests to raise or lower it at pleasure. Thus constructed the waiter, loaded with dishes, viands, or whatever is to be served up, is placed upon the wires. C C at one end of the table and an attendant turns the winch H. Then when the plate CZ is lowered so that the knot h reaches it the waiter will be moved along. lVhen any one of the guests wishes to take anything from the waiter, he slides up the cross-plate d, so that the. cord will pass along without touching it, and thus the waiter will remain stationary as long as the guest desires. As soon as he has helped himself he slides down the cross-plate d to the cord, and the waiter is immediately moved along by the tirst knot b which strikes it. time the cord is kept in continual motion. A succession of waiters is to be placed upon the wires, so that several guests may be helping themselves at one time. It willbe found convenient to have another set of track-wires above the lower part of the cord E, on which the waiters may be moved back in the other direction, so that waiters maybe passingboth ways at the same time; but these additional wires, being duplicates in construction and arrangement of those described, it is not nec- 4 essary to make further mention of them.

The operation and use of my self-waiting table need no explanation. A table of su'icient size to accommodatea hundred persons may be provided with the apparatus for a few dollars, and by'its assistance two attendants cord E shall enter its notch g as soon as a` In the meancan with ease serve the number of guests in- The above speeiication of my new and irndieated. It is therefore especially valuable proved self-waiting table signed by me this forthe use of hotels and largeboarding-houses. 26th clay ollareh, 1856. v

VWhat I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is- A' WATSON The waiters D D,Wiretraoks C C, and drivi Witnesses:

ing-cord E, combined, arranged, and oper- C. DUNCAN, ating substantially as herein set forth. SAML. F. SWOOPE, 

